Seismic fragility and loss assessment on earthquake-resilient double-column tall piers with shear links subjected to far-field and near-fault ground motions

Abstract

This paper aims to study the benefits of the shear links (SLs) to improve the seismic resilience of the traditional double-column tall pier after earthquakes. Therefore, a double-column tall pier with SLs was designed and compared with a conventional double-column tall pier with reinforced concrete beams (RCBs). The seismic fragility of the double-column tall piers with SLs and RCBs was evaluated using incremental dynamic analyses when subjected to far-field and near-fault ground motions. The economic losses in the life cycle between the double-column tall piers with SLs and RCBs were compared using the proposed loss assessment methodology. The results revealed that the SLs between the columns could provide additional energy dissipation to reduce the seismic damage and vulnerability of the double-column tall pier. Therefore, the double-column tall pier with SLs exhibited lower damage probability for the various damage states and fewer economic losses than the traditional double-column tall pier due to the SLs dissipating enough energy. The proposed double-column tall pier with SLs manifested more reliable seismic resilience than the conventional double-column pier with RCBs. The double-column tall pier with SLs showed a better economy in the long-term time interval. Moreover, the life cycle losses of the double-column tall pier with SLs and RCBs under the far-field ground motions are lower than those of the double-column tall pier with SLs and RCBs under the near-field ground motions.